OBEYING Synonyms: 72 Similar and Opposite Words

obeying

verb

present participle of obey

as in following

to act according to the commands of she taught her dog to obey her when she said "Sit!" most people obey the law and wear their seat belts

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of obeying People are riding e-bikes and e-motorcycles, sometimes riding recklessly, traveling at high speeds, or not obeying the rules of the road. — Ashley Portillo, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026 The department reminds motorists to drive cautiously through the area, obeying posted speed limit and road work signage. — Isabelle Foland, Des Moines Register, 19 July 2026 For years, Alabama had balked at obeying a series of orders, including from the Supreme Court itself, to insure that its Black voters have a voice in how they are governed. — Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 8 June 2026 In 2013, Southern Stars players were blackmailed into obeying instructions by having their salaries withheld. — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 4 June 2026 Yes, no one deserves to be cheated on, and Kyle could have been better about obeying the rules, but four years? — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 3 June 2026 The tradition of Georgia football players not obeying traffic laws is alive and well in 2026 thanks to safety Ja'Marley Riddle, who was arrested last week on speeding and felony possession charges. — Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026 Dupree confided in Firecracker about how his church was destroyed by one of Homelander's obeying supes and asked for her help in rebuilding. — Staff Author, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026 Footage from the scene shows the group obeying police instructions when a plain clothes officer grabbed Salman’s hand, twisting it and causing a fracture in her wrist. — Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for obeying

Verb

Observers say the case was significant to the city's freedom of association and it has been closely watched amid the city's drastic political changes following massive anti-government protests in 2019.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
Relations with Morocco have been strained following reports that its government had facilitated the mass border crossing, but Sánchez tamped down the speculation.

— Jack Guy, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of following

Verb

The film seeks to hold that tension through a deeply human perspective, where observing can also become an act of care.

— Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
After their decades observing goatsbeard adapting to polyploidy in the lab, the Soltises can even predict which genes are most likely to get the boot and which are more likely to stick around.

— Carrie Arnold Contributing, Quanta Magazine, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of observing

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obeyed

obeying

obeys

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“Obeying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obeying. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of obeying

verb

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